Analog signal delay arrangement

ABSTRACT

An analog signal representing a continuously measured value is distributed to a plurality of capacitors, by a cyclic closing of a first set of contacts. The signal stored on the capacitors are read out by cyclic closing of another set of contacts which connect the capacitors to a receiver station. Each value of analog signal is delayed by the time interval between the storing in the capacitor and the read out from the same capacitor which occurs during the same cycle.

United States Patent 91 Graalmann et al.

[ 1 May 1, 1973 [54] ANALOG SIGNAL DELAY ARRANGEMENT [75] Inventors:Gerhard Graalmann, Wohltorf;

Dieter Wellach, Hamburg, both of,

Germany [73] Assignee: Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. K.G.,

Hamburg, Germany [22] Filed: June 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 49,718

[ 30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 28, 1969 Germany ..P 19 32906.7

[52] U.S. Cl. ..340/173 RC, 333/29, 333/30, 320/1,131/21 [51] Int. Cl..Gllc ll/24, G110 27/00 [58] Field of Search ..340/173 RC; 333/29,

333/30; 320/1; 131/21 A, 21 B, 21 R, 22 A, 22 R; 335/114, 206

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,579,703 5/1971 Schmermund..131/21 R 3,162,738 12/1964 Abramson et al. ..335/206 3,412,856 11/1968Esenwein ..131/21 R 2,999,914 9/1961 Stanaway.. .....335/206 3,060,29110/1962 Clare ..335/206 3,375,812 4/1968 Koda ..335/206 3,172,036 3/1965Waters ..320/l X 3,441,913 4/1969 Pastoriza ..340/173 RC 3,192,4026/1965 Sandberg... ..333/29 X 3,142,822 7/1964 Martin ..340/1733,074,048 1/1963 Turner... ..340/173 RC 2,966,641 12/1960 McCoy..340/l73 RC X 3,191,158 6/1965 Sherman ..'..320/1 X PrimaryExaminer-Malcolm A. Morrison Assistant Examiner-James F. GottmanAttorney-Michael S. Striker 57 ABSTRACT An analog signal representing acontinuously measured value is distributed to a plurality of capacitors,by a cyclic closing of a first set of contacts. The signal stored on thecapacitors are read out by cyclic closing of another set of contactswhich connect the capacitors to a receiver station. Each value ofanalog" signal is delayed by the time interval between the storing inthe capacitor and the read out from the same capacitor which occursduring the same cycle.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 3,731,286

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VE N TORi) ww a! MQA.

Patented May 1, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet GYM g jl' 44 46.4

ANALOG SIGNAL DELAY ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a delay arrangement for delaying an analog signalbetween signal furnishing means and a receiver. In particular, itrelates to such a delay arrangement when used in a tobacco processingmachine.

In tobacco processing arrangements the problem often exists that asignal is furnished for controlling a process at a time prior to thetime it should actually be applied for controlling said process. Thusthe problem arises of delaying, or storing, an analog signal for asufficient time and without excessive distortion until it is required inthe processing arrangement.

An analog signal can be furnished by signal furnishing means which may,for example, be measuring means for measuring a given quantity oralternatively may be means for furnishing a desired value of a specifiedquantity. In special cases, such a signal may also be entered manually.

The receiver means, which receive the analog signal after the delaytime, may be receiver means for receiving such a measurement signal ordesired signal, and may be connected with a control arrangement which,under the control of the analog signal, controls a part of the tobaccoprocessing.

Several examples of this type of problem when associated with tobaccoprocessing arrangements will now be discussed.

If a given quantity of tobacco is, for example, to be combined withadditives such as moisture or casing or flavoring liquid, it isparticularly important in determining the quality of the tobacco that apredetermined ratio is maintained between the quantity of tobacco andthe quantity of additive. The mixing process may take place at a mixingstation. However, the weight of tobacco furnished to the mixing stationwill not, in general, remain constant. This requires a correspondingvariation in the weight of additive to be supplied. Furthermore, thetime that the tobacco travels from the place where it is, for example,weighed to the mixing station differs from the time required for acontrolled amount of liquid additive to reach said mixing station.Generally, the time required for the tobacco to reach the station isconsiderably longer. Thus, the signal indicating the varying weight oftobacco must be delayed when this signal is applied to the control ofthe amount of liquid additive to be used at the mixing station.

The same problem arises when two or more streams of tobacco are to bemixed in such a way that a predetermined relationship exists in thevarious properties of the streams, such as weight and moisture. Inarrangements for effecting such mixing, the individual streams oftobacco are measured and the analog signal corresponding to one of themeasured values is used as a control signal for the other streams. Thatis, the analog signals representing the measured values of the othertobacco streams are compared to the corresponding analog signalrepresenting the stream to be used as a standard. The difference signalsresulting from these comparisons are then used to control processingelements at processing stations for the various streams. However, theprocessing stations are often at a distance from the measurementstations and it is therefore required that the various differencesignals be delayed prior to application to the processing elements andthat this delay take place without excessive distortion of said signals.

The same problem also arises when tobacco is to be dried. In this case,the heat supplied by a heating source is controlled in dependence on thevarying amount of tobacco and/or the moisture content in said tobacco.Here again, a time difference is present between the time the weight ofthe tobacco or its moisture content is determined, and the time at whichthe heat source is to be controlled. Again, an analog signal must bestored for a corresponding delay time.

Generally, RC elements are used as time delay elements. However, theseelements are not used' for furnishing long delay times becuase thecapacitors do not maintain their charge for arbitrary time periods.Furthermore these elements are not adapted to hold analog values, forexample in the form of a time varying voltage without considerabledistortion.

Another possibility for delaying analog signals is to enter such signalsupon a tape and to read out from this tape at a later time. Thisarrangement has the disadvantage that very costly equipment is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to store ananalog signal in a simple and inexpensive manner for arbitrarilylong-time periods without causing excessive distortion.

This invention is an analog signal delay arrangement comprising signalfurnishing means which furnish an analog signal. It further comprises aplurality of storage elements each for storing the instantaneous valueof an analog signal applied thereto. Further furnished are receivermeans. Cyclic transmission means transmit the .analog signal from thesignal furnishing means to each of said storage elements in apredetermined sequence, thereby creating a stored signal in each of saidstorage elements. The cyclic transmission means further transmit thestored signals to the receiver means, each of said stored signals beingtransmitted to the receiver means at a predetermined time delayfollowing the storing of the signals. Thus the analog signals areactually divided into a plurality of instantaneous values, each of theseinstantaneous values being stored in a storage element. Theinstantaneous values are then read out from the storage element withinthe same cycle of the cyclic transmission means, but after a delay time.In particular, the-storage in the individual elements and the read outfrom said storage elements may be controlled by an activating meanswhich operates cyclicly and allows simultaneous storing in one elementand read out from another storage element. This cyclic activatingelement thereby controls the frequency with which signals are read intostorage, signals are read from storage, and the time delay betweenstorage and read out.

The time delay required of course depends upon the consturction and theoperating speed of the tobacco processing arrangement. Therefore thecyclic activating means should operate synchronously with the operationof the tobacco processing arrangement. For example, the cyclictransmission means may comprise a plurality of first contacts, each ofsaid first contacts connecting said signal furnishing means to one ofsaid storage elements when activated. It may further comprise aplurality of second contacts, each of said second contacts connectingsaid receiver means to oneof said storage elements. Finally, cyclicactivating means activate each of said first and second connectingmeans. If each of the first and second connecting means is a pair ofcontacts in a Reed relay, then the cyclic activating element may be arotating element carrying a permanent magnet. The permanent magnetcauses closing of the contacts when in the operative vicinity thereof.In this arrangement, contacts are protected against dust, and no contactwear results from the interaction of the rotating elements and thecontacts constituting the transmission means.

For special cases where it is desired to keep the number of moving partsto a minimum, an electronic circuit may be used as cyclic activatingmeans. For example, a shift register may be used.

Since the analog signal requires amplification both before storage andduring read out, due in part to the energy loss arising at the contacts,an operational amplifier is furnished between the signal furnishingmeans and the storage means and also between the storage elements andthe receiver means. Since the transmission into the storage elementsshould be effected rapidly, while read out from the storage elementsshould take place without excessive power loss, the operationalamplifiers have high input impedances and low output impedances.

Since the analog signal furnished by the signal furnishing means mayundergo rapid variations within a storage interval and these rapidvariations may lead to a distortion of the stored value, averaging meansmay be connected to the operational amplifier means in order to smooththe instantaneous values of the signals.

Mechanical, pneumatic or electrical components may be used as storageelements. Electrical elements as, for example, magnetic cores areparticularly suitable because of their simple construction andrelatively short response time. Capacitors may also be used.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the'accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows an arrangement fordelaying an analog signal using electromechanical circuit activatingmeans; and

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement for delaying an analog signal using anelectronic circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of thepresent invention will now be discussed with reference to the drawing.-

In FIG. 1, the signal furnishing means are denoted by reference number38, while the receiver means comprise a power amplifier 22 inconjunction with a motor 17 driving a pump 16. The pump pumps anadditive such as a casing liquid to be mixed with the tobacco in amixing station 2. Tobacco 43 is supplied by a tobacco supply arrangement3 which comprises a conveyor belt 4, an inclined conveyor 6 withsmoothing 7 from which the tobacco moves to a conveyor-weighing rollermechanism 8 and a further conveyor belt 9. The drum 11 wherein themixing is carried out, conveyor belt 9 and the conveyor belt of theweighing arrangement 8 I are all driven by means of a common drive 12. Aconveyor belt 13 serves to remove the tobacco after treatment, that isafter mixing with the additive. The container 18 contains the liquidcasing or flavoring and is connected to a pump 16 by means of a line 19.The liquid is pumped to a spray arrangement 14 via a pipe 21. Pump 16 isdriven by a variable speed motor 17. The mixing arrangement for thetobacco and the liquid is denoted by 44.

The plurality of storage elements in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is aplurality of capacitors denoted by reference numerals 23a through 23f.Cyclic transmission means, 1, comprise a plurality of first connectingmeans, namely contact pairs labelled 24a through 24f which, whenactivated, (closed) each connect the signal furnishing means 38 to oneof the storage elements 23a through 23f. The second connecting means,namely contact pairs 26a through 26f serve to connect each storageelement with the receiver means when activated. A switching elementwhich rotates in the direction of the arrow 28 is denoted by referencenumeral 27. This element rotates about an axis 29 and comprises an arm31 on which is mounted a permanent magnet 32. Line 31 indicates that therotating switching element 27 is driven by drive 12 via gearing 34.Rotation of arm 27 causes sequential closure of contact pairs 24::through 24f and 26a through 26f. It is seen that in the presentarrangement one of the pairs of contacts 24 is always activatedsubstantially simultaneously with one of the pairs of contacts 26. Thusa signal is stored and the value of a previously stored signal is readout substantially simultaneously. The rotational speed of arm 31determines the frequency with which signals are stored, the frequencywith which signals are read out, as well as the delay time betweenstoring and read out.

Between signal furnishing means 38, which furnish an analog signalcorresponding to the weight of tobacco passing over the conveyorweighing arrangement 8, and the storage element is connected onoperational amplifier 36 whichhas a high input impedance denoted by hand a low output impedance denoted by n. Similarly, additionaloperational amplifier means, namely operational amplifier 37, isconnected between the storage elements and the receiver means. Thesecond operational amplifier also has a high input impedance and a lowoutput impedance. Power amplifier 22 serves not only for poweramplification, but also to determine the speed of motor 17. Lines 39 and41 connect contacts 24 .and 26, respectively, with the operationalamplifiers 36 and 37. Lines 42a through 42f connect contacts 24 through26 with copacitors 23.

The above-described arrangement operates as follows:

The tobacco is fed into the arrangement via conveyor belt 4 andtransported via the inclined conveyor belt 6 in the direction of thearrow. Rollers 7 serve to equalize roughly the quantity of tobacco beingtransported. The tobacco 43 then reaches the conveyorweighingarrangement 8 where it is weighed and at which time an analog electricalsignal corresponding to the weight of the tobacco is furnished by signalfurnishing means 38. The tobacco then arrives at a conveyor belt 9 whichconveys it to the drum 11. Pump 16 pumps liquid from container 18 andpushes it through line 21 into the spraying arrangement 14. There theliquid is sprayed onto the tobacco at the mixing stage 44. Aftertreatment, tobacco 43 moves onto conveyor belt 13 for the furtherprocessing. In order that a good quality of tobacco, for example incigarettes, may be obtained, the percentage relationship between theliquid additive and the tobacco 43 is to be exactly maintained. This canonly be achieved if the supply of liquid is constantly regulated inaccordance with the weight of the tobacco. However, the tobacco isweighed not at the mixing station, but at a station preceding saidmixing station. Therefore a time delay exists between the furnishing ofthe measurement signal and the arrival of the tobacoo 43 at the mixingstation 44. This time delay may vary in each installation. The liquid ofcourse travels in a relatively short time period from the container 18to the mixing stage 44. Thus the analog signal representing themeasurement value must be delayed by a time interval corresponding tothe time required for the tobacco to move from stage 8 to stage 44 minusthe time required for the liquid to be pumped through line 21. This isachieved as follows: The analog signal furnished by signal furnishingmeans 38 is applied to operational amplifier 36. The operationalamplifier 36 has, as stated above, a high input impedance. The output ofoperational amplifier 36, which is a low impedance output, is connectedvia line 41 to contacts 24a through 24f. Switching element 27 is drivenin the direction of the arrow by means of drive 12 via gearing 34. Thetime required for one operating cycle, that is one complete rotation ofswitching element 27, corresponds to the time required for tobacco 43 tomove from weighing stage 8 to the mixing stage 44 decreased by theamount required to pump the liquid through pipe 21.

Each of the contacts 24 and 26 is operated in sequence during eachoperating cycle for a short time period. In the position shown in theFigure, contacts 24a and 26a are being activated by permanent magnet 32and are therefore closed. Thus, the output it of operational amplifier36 is connected via contact 24a with condenser 2311. Since the output ofthe operational amplifier 36 is a low impedance output, the capacitor ischarged to the correct value almost without delay. Thus, while thepermanent magnet 32 passes the contacts, the measurement value is storedin capacitor 23a. Simultaneously, contact 26a is closed, thereforecapacitor 23fis connected to the high impedance input h of operationalamplifier 37 via this pair of contacts 260. Thus in the same time inwhich a signal is stored in capacitor 23a, a signal is read out fromcapacitor 23f. This signal read out is the same signal which was storedat the beginning of the time delay period. This signal is applied to thehigh impedance input h of amplifier 37. Almost no power is requiredbecause of the high impedance. The output of operational amplifier 37 isfurnished to power amplifier 22 without distortion and without timedelay because of the low impedance output n. Power amplifier 22amplifies the signal and adjusts the speed of motor 17 as a functionthereof. Thus the amount of liquid being pumped by pump 6 is varied independence upon the signal furnished by operational amplifier 37. It isthus adjusted to correspond to the amount of tobacco weighed at thebeginning of the delay time interval and is thus in directcorrespondence to the amount of tobacco being mixed at the time thesignal is received at amplifier 22. Further turning of arm 31 causes ashort overlapping of the closing times of contacts 26a and 24f. Thisoverlap serves to prevent interruption of the signal at the input ofamplifier 22 and removes the necessity for averaging or filteringelements between contacts 26 and operational amplifier 37.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The maindifference between the arrangement of FIG. 2 and that of FIG. 1, is thatin FIG. 2 the cyclic activating means comprise an electronic circuit.The tobacco processing arrangement which may be identical to that ofFIG. 1 is omitted in FIG. 2. Otherwise those components in FIG. 2 whichcorrespond to components in FIG. 1, have the same reference numbers butincreased by 100.

The cyclic activating means in FIG. 2 are a shift register 161 which hasstages 1620 through 162i. A magnet 163a through 163i is connected toeach shift register stage. Contacts 164a through 164i and 166a through166i are each associated with one of the capacitors 167a through 167iwhich serve as storage elements. The contacts are activated by magnets163a through 163i. The mixing arrangement which is not shown is drivenby a drive 112. This drive motor 112 also drives pulse furnishing means156 as indicated by line 154.

The pulse furnishing means 156 comprise a cam disk 157 which rotatessynchronously with motor 112. Cams 168 induce pulses in a coil 158 whichare shaped by a pulse former 159 which may, for example, be a monostablemultivibrator.

A switch 152 which has contacts a and b connected to one side of acurrent source 151 serves to activate relay 153, thus in turn energizingmotor 112. Closing of switch 152 also serves to energize shift register161.

The input h of an operational amplifier 137 can be connected withcapacitors 167a through 167i via contacts 164a through 164i. A poweramplifier 122 is connected to the output n of operational amplifier 137.Amplifier 122 also serves to determine the speed of motor 117 whichactivates a pump for pumping liquid additive. Operational amplifier 136has connected to it averaging means, namely a capacitor 171 in parallelwith a resistance 172. The parallel combination of capacitor 171 andresistance 172 is connected from the output of amplifier 136 to itsinput. The output of signal furnishing means 138 is connected to theinput h of operational amplifier 136. The output it of operationalamplifier 136 can be connected with capacitors 1670 through 167i viacontacts 166a through 166i.

This arrangement operates as follows: Switch 152 energizes relay 133 andthus driving motor 112 which operates the tobacco processingarrangement. Simultaneously, the shift register 161 is activated viacontact a of switch 152. Cam disk 157 is driven synchronously with drivemotor 112, causing cams 168 to induce pulses in coil 158 during rotationof said disk. These pulses are applied to pulse former 159 and theretransformed, for example, into rectangular pulses. The pulse repetitionrate at the output of pulse former 159 is the same as the repetitionrate of the pulses applied to the pulse former. These vpulses areapplied to the individual stages 162a through 162i of shift register 161cuasing a pulse to be shifted through to this register at a ratedetermined by the repetition rate of the so-applied pulses. The timerequired for a pulse to travel through all the stages of shift register161 corresponds to the time required for the tobacco to travel from themeasuring station 138 to the mixing station 44 (FIG. 1 decreased by thetime required to pump the liquid from pump 117 to the mixing stage 44 ofFIG. 1. Relays 16311 through 163i are activated synchronously and causeclosing of contacts 164 and 166 in a corresponding sequence. Thus whilethe analog signal furnished by signal furnishing means 138 is applied toa capacitor 167 via operational amplifier 136 and one of the contacts166, the value stored in capacitor 167 is transmitted via contact 164 tothe high impedance input of operational amplifier 137 and causes theoutput of power amplifier 122 to vary the speed of motor 117, and thusthe quan tity of liquid pumped in accordance with the quantity oftobacco currently arriving at the mixing station.

The averaging means 169, comprising a capacitor 171 in parallel with aresistance 172, are connected from the output to the input ofoperational amplifier 136. This causes short time variations in themeasurement signal which may lead to a distortion of the storedmeasuring value to be smoothed.

The above description indicates that shift register 161 in this casecontrols both the time delay and the frequency of signal storage andsignal read out.

The particular advantage of the present invention consists of the simpleconstruction of the transmission and storage arrangement, By dividingthe analog signal into a predetermined plurality of individual values,it is possible to store analog signals for relatively long time periodsand thus to delay said analog signals. A further advantage of thepresent invention is that an arbitrary number of storage elements may beused. Thus, the individual values of the analog signal may follow soclosely one upon the other that upon read out, a true representationwithout distortion of the initial analog signal results. 7.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied inelectromechanical electronic transmission arrangements, it is notintended to be limited to the details shown, since various modificationsand structural changes may be made without departing in any way from thespirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. Analog signal delay arrangement, comprising, in combination, signalfurnishing means for furnishing an analog signal; first operationalamplifier means connected to said signal furnishing means, said firstoperational amplifier means having a high input impedance and a lowoutput impedance; averaging means connected to said first operationalamplifier means; a plurality of storage elements each for storing theinstantaneous value of an analog signal applied thereto; additionaloperational amplifier means having a high input impedance and a lowoutput impedance; receiver means connected to said additionaloperational amplifier means; a plurality of first normally open pairs ofcontacts each connecting one of said storage elements to said firstoperational amplifier means when closed; a plurality of second normallyopen pairs of contacts each connecting one of said storage elements tothe input of said additional amplifier means when closed; and cyclicactivating means having an operating cycle, for closing each of saidfirst and second pairs of contacts in a predetermined sequence withineach of said operating cycles in such a manner that each of said firstpairs of contacts is activated substantially simultaneously with acorresponding one of said second pairs of contacts and in such a mannerthat each of said second pairs of contacts is closed prior to thetermination of the closure of the preceding second pair of contacts insaid predetermined sequence, thereby furnishing a substantiallyuninterrupted signal to said receiver means.

2. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidoperational amplifier means comprise an operational amplifier having aninput and an output; and wherein said averaging means comprise afeedback resistor, a feedback capacitor connected in parallel with saidfeedback resistor and connected from said output to said input of saidoperational amplifier.

3. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pairsof contacts are pairs of reed relay contacts; and wherein said rotatingswitching element comprises a permanent magnet for activating saidcontacts.

4; An arrangement for processing tobacco at a processing station independence with the weight of tobacco at said processing station,comprising, in combination, transport means transporting said tobaccoalong a predetermined path to said processing station; control means atsaid processing station for adding quantities of additives to saidtobacco, said quantities of additives varying as a function of theamplitude of a control signal; measuring means located at a measuringstation along said predetermined path preceding said processing stationin the direction of transport of said tobacco, for continually measuringthe quantity of tobacco transported per unit time and furnishingmeasurement signals having amplitudes corresponding to said so-measuredquantity of tobacco; electric signal furnishing the means for convertingsaid measurement signals into elecJric signals; a plurality of storageelements for storing the instantaneous value of an electrical signalapplied thereto; and cyclic transmission means operating insynchronization with said transport means for transmitting saidelectrical signal from said signal furnishing means in a predeterminedsequence to each of said storage elements, thereby creating a storedsignal in each of said storage elements, and for transmitting each ofsaid stored signals to said control means after a predetermined timedelay following the creation of said stored signal, said so-transmittedstored signal constituting said control signal.

5. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprisingoperational amplifier means connected between said signal furnishingmeans and said storage elements.

6. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 5, further comprisingadditional operational amplifier means connected between said storageelements and said control means; and wherein said operational amplifiermeans'and said additional operational amplifier means each have a highinput impedance and a low output impedance.

7. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprisingadditional operational amplifier means connected between said storageelements and said control means.

8. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 4,

wherein said cyclic activating means comprise an electronic circuit.

9. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein saidelectronic circuit is a shift register.

10. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein each ofsaid storage elements comprise a capacitor.

1. Analog signal delay arrangement, comprising, in combination, signalfurnishing means for furnishing an analog signal; first operationalamplifier means connected to said signal furnishing means, said firstoperational amplifier means having a high input impedance and a lowoutput impedance; averaging means connected to said first operationalamplifier means; a plurality of storage elements each for storing theinstantaneous value of an analog signal applied thereto; additionaloperational amplifier means having a high input impedance and a lowoutput impedance; receiver means connected to said additionaloperational amplifier means; a plurality of first normally open pairs ofcontacts each connecting one of said storage elements to said firstoperational amplifier means when closed; a plurality of second normallyopen pairs of contacts each connecting one of said storage elements tothe input of said additional amplifier means when closed; and cyclicactivating means having an operating cycle, for closing each of saidfirst and second pairs of contacts in a predetermined sequence withineach of said operating cycles in such a manner that each of said firstpairs of contacts is activated substantially simultaneously with acorresponding one of said second pairs of contacts and in such a mannerthat each of said second pairs of contacts is closed prior to thetermination of the closure of the preceding second pair of contacts insaid predetermined sequence, thereby furnishing a substantiallyuninterrupted signal to said receiver means.
 2. Signal delay arrangementas set forth in claim 1, wherein said operational amplifier meanscomprise an operational amplifier having an input and an output; andwherein said averaging means comprise a feedback resistor, a feedbackcapacitor connected in parallel with said feedback resistor andconnected from said output to said input of said operational amplifier.3. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pairsof contacts are pairs of reed relay contacts; and wherein said rotatingswitching element comprises a permanent magnet for activating saidcontacts.
 4. An arrangement for processing tobacco at a processingstation in dependence with the weight of tobacco at said processingstation, comprising, in combination, transport means transporting saidtobacco along a predetermined path to said processing station; controlmeans at said processing station for adding quantities of additives tosaid tobacco, said quantities of additives varying as a function of theamplitude of a control signal; measuring means located at a measuringstation along said predetermined path preceding said processing stationin the direction of transport of said tobacco, for continually measuringthe quantity of tobacco transported per unit time and furnishingmeasurement signals having amplitudes corresponding to said so-measuredquantity of tobacco; electric signal furnishing the means for convertingsaid measurement signals into elecJric signals; a plurality of storageelements for storing the instantaneous value of an electrical signalapplied thereto; and cyclic transmission means operating insynchronization with said transport means for transmitting saidelectrical signal from said signal furnishing means in a predeterminedsequence to each of said storage elements, thereby creating a storedsignal in each of said storage elements, and for transmitting each ofsaid stored signals to said control means after a predetermined timedelay following the creation of said stored signal, said so-transmittedstored signal constituting said control signal.
 5. Signal delayarrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprising operationalamplifier means connected between said signal furnishing means and saidstorage elements.
 6. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 5,further comprising additional operational amplifier means connectedbetween said storage elements and said control means; and wherein saidoperational amplifier means and said additional operational amplifiermeans each have a high input impedance and a low output impedance. 7.Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprisingadditional operational amplifier means connected between said storageelements and said control means.
 8. Signal delay arrangement as setforth in claim 4, wherein said cyclic activating means comprise anelectronic circuit.
 9. Signal delay arrangement as set forth in claim 8,wherein said electronic circuit is a shift register.
 10. Signal delayarrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said storageelements comprise a capacitor.